REVEALED: Total number of complaints made in your health trust area

Andrew Quinn

A total of 6,189 complaint issues were made to health and social care (H.S.C.) trusts throughout Northern Ireland in 2016/17, according to a report released by the Department of Health.

On average, H.S.C. trusts took 24.7 working days to provide a substantive response to complaints received in 2016/17.

The age group most likely to lodge a complaint or have someone lodge a complaint on their behalf were men and women over the age of 75.

The total number of complaints received per H.S.C. area for 2016/17 are as follows: Belfast - 2,007; South Eastern - 1,076; Southern - 1,046; Western 1,030; Northern - 869 and Northern Ireland Ambulance Service - 161.

More than half of all complaints (3,703) were received by Acute Programme of Care (P.O.C.).

The Western H.S.C. Trust reported the highest number of complaint issues relating to the Maternal and Child Health P.O.C. (126 - 35.6%).

The South Eastern H.S.C. Trust reported the highest number of complaint issues relating to the Primary Health and Adult Community P.O.C. (72 - 43.1%) and Prison Healthcare 46 (100%) of which it is the sole provider in Northern Ireland.

Belfast and Southern were the only two H.S.C. Trusts to achieve their targets set out for complaints relating to staff attitude, behaviour, communication and information.

Patients aged 75 and over were the age group to make the highest number of complaints (either in person or on their behalf) - 509.

When compared to their female counterparts (1,793), male patients (1,311) were less likely to complain or to have a complaint lodged on their behalf.